140 THE MANOBOS OF MINDANAO— GARVAN [MEMO ™o?.xTm. 



Man6bo, so that in time of hostility the warrior chief is looked up to more than any man who in 

 time of peace might have enjoyed more influence and prestige. 



It must be borne in mind that the whole political organization of Manoboland, including 

 the system of government, social control, and administration of justice, is essentially patriarchal, 

 so that the chieftainship is really only a nominal one. The very entity of a clan springs from the 

 kinship of its individual members, and, as in a family, the stronger or abler brother might be 

 selected on a given occasion to represent, defend, or otherwise uphold the family, so in a Manobo 

 clan or sect the stronger or the wiser member is recognized as chief. However, he can not lay 

 claim to any legal authority nor use any coercion unless it is sanctioned by the more influential 

 members of the clan, is approved by public opinion, and is in conformity with customary law 

 and tribal practices, for there is no people that I know of that is so tenacious and so jealous of 

 ancient usages as the Manobos of eastern Mindanao. 



EQUALITY AMONG THE PEOPLE 



Besides the titles applied to warrior chiefs and to priests, there is no title that is in common 

 use to express the influence and authority wielded by any individual. It is not infrequent to 

 hear of so-and-so being spoken of as a datu by the Bisayas of the Agiisan Valley, but the title 

 is not used by Manobos, but only by the Banuaon group inhabiting the northwestern part of the 

 valley or by Bisayas when they desire to cajole their Manobo friends. The term kuyano is 

 sometimes used by the Bisayas, but as far as my knowledge goes is not used by Manobos. It is 

 in all probability a form of the word Tculdno that is applied, I think, to Bukldnon chiefs in the 

 subprovince of Bukldnon. The fact that no titles appear to exist for influential men except 

 that of warrior chief and of priest is an indication of the inferiority of the Manobo to the Mandaya 

 in tribal organization. 1 



There is no hereditary chieftainship, though a warrior chief makes earnest endeavors to 

 instill the spirit of valor into his first born male child from the time he attains the use of reason. 

 No insignia are worn except by the warrior chief and the recognized warrior 2 to denote the 

 influence that they exert in the tribe or in the clan. Perfect equality is conspicuous in nearly 

 all things. The chief or the warrior chief sallies forth, often in company with his slaves, and 

 takes part in fishing and in hunting expeditions. On the trail he may carry his own share of 

 the burden if he has been unable to induce others to take it. I have had warrior chiefs, priests, 

 and other influential people many a time act as my carriers, but, of course, out of courtesy and 

 respect, had to allow them more in the way of recompense than was given to those of lesser 

 importance. The chief has no subordinate officers, no heralds, and no assembly house. He 

 lives in his own house and when any trouble arises he settles it, in company with other influential 

 men, either at his own house or at any other house to which it may have been deemed expedient 

 to repair. Hence we may say that little or no formal demonstration of respect is shown a chief. 

 He is a Manobo of more than usual ability, of strong character, quick to discover the intricacies 

 of an involved question, facile of tongue, loved for his hospitality and generous nature, more 

 frequently better provided with worldly goods than his fellow clansmen, and as a rule with a 

 reputation for fair dealing. Such are, in general, the sources of the respect that gives him a 

 moral weight in the arbitration of clan troubles or even of tribal concerns when no hostility 

 reigns. 



I have never heard among the Man6bos of any special celebration in which a chief, other 

 than a warrior chief, is formally recognized. He seems to grow gradually into recognition, just 

 as one brother of a family may, after years of demonstrated ability, be looked up to by the rest 

 of the family. 



RESPECT FOR ABILITY AND OLD AGE 



Although the chiefs almost invariably look upon other men of the tribe as their equals and 

 show no affectation because of their position, yet by those who come in contact with them a certain 



1 In Mandaya a very influential chief is styled d-ri-d-ri, a kind of petty king, and the elder of a settlement or even of an individual house has 

 a special name, significative of influence and of respect, to wit, ma-ti-duHg. 

 ■ Ma-ni-ki-id. 



